My Journal
August - 1998
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troubles. If you would like to have your e-mail address included
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August 1
August 2nd
August 3rd
August 4th
August 5th
August 7th
August 8th
August 9th
August 12th
August 13th August 14th
August 15th
August 16th
August 17th
August 18th
August 19th
August 20th
August 21st
August 22nd
August 23rd
August 24th
August 25th
August 27th
August 28th
My brother got here this morning at 6:00 a.m. I didn’t wake mom up until noon and she was so happy to see him. She got up and came out to the living room for the day and night. My brother watched mom for me so I could work in the yard for awhile, then he mowed it for me. The guys were here working on the room again in the evening which kept mom occupied as she watched them. I put her down to bed at 11:30, she complained for several hours after that about her hip hurting. I had given her the pain pills and explained she couldn’t have anymore right now, boy she got mad but finally went to sleep.
August 30th
August 31st
Today was better. Mom slept through the night without sturring. I left her to wake up on her own, which she did at 3:00 this afternoon. My son, Robert, stayed with mom this afternoon so that I and his wife could go garage saleing for awhile. They stayed for dinner and movies which mom joined in with. She went to bed at 1:00 a.m. still hurting but in a good mood and no vomiting since yesterday.
Mom slept through the night again. She didn't get out of bed today though, she says she is saving her strength for the xrays tomorrow. She has eaten pretty well the past few days and it is staying down. I am sure hoping they find something in the xrays, she hurts so bad, maybe they will be able to fix whatever it is. Her mental ability seems to be improving, yes remembers having to go to the doctor and I haven't mentioned it to her for days. A good sign.
Mom stayed in bed for the day, she slept most of the night, only needing to get up for the potty. She goes to the doctor tomorrow for a check on her xrays and leg. It has become swollen in the thigh area, she crys from the pain of moving it. If they can't fix it I hope they can give her something better for the pain.
Mom made it up this morning for her bath with no trouble. She was anxious to see the doctor. We left early, had lunch, went to the hospital to get old test results, took new xrays, went to the doctor, out to dinner and shopping. What a wonderful day we had. The NEW doctor is absolutely wonderful. He came into the exam room at 3:45 and didn't leave until 5:00! He took five pages of notes, asked all sorts of questions, did a COMPLETE exam of mom, ordered an MRI of her spine, pelvis and hips and an Ultra Sound of her pelvis and small intestine region and a CBC, B12/Folate, Fasting Lipid Panel, Metabolic Panel-Comp, Sedrate, Thyroid Panel, TSH, T4-Free, and a cultured UA. I guess it is official My MOM DOES NOT HAVE ALZHEIMER's! She did everything he asked her to do, followed directions completely, answered all of his questions. I was amazed at her ability and the fact that she was doing in front of someone other than me. She goes tomorrow for the lab work, they will call me about the other tests once they are scheduled. This doctor said that he felt mom was medically neglected due to her age and he will not follow suit. HURRAY, finally she has someone who gives a damn.
Mom didn't go for the lab work today, we are waiting until tomorrow since she has to have other tests done also. The doctor has ordered an Echogram and Carotid artery for 1:00 so we can do it all the same day. Mom has been off the Haldol and receiving B12 suppliments for 3 weeks now and does seem better. Her memory doesn't leave her as often now and her search for words has improved. Her leg is still hurting very much, she is unable to stand or move it, she has her MRI this Friday.
I was so tired last night I couldn't update. I had been awake most of the night before, got mom up at 9:00 to shower, she had to fast from midnight because of the lab work so no breakfast. We left at 11:00 for the hospital to sign in, went to the lab - couldn't find a toilet that was wheelchair accessible on this floor so we went to ER and back, then to the Echogram - I had to lift mom up and onto the gurney for the test, everyone seemed to disappear while I was doing this, then onto the Carotid Artery Imagining - only had to lift mom down into her chair and go to the next room. We got home at 4:00, lifted mom from the car to the chair, pulled her up a few stairs, lifted her in to her recliner, fixed dinner, fed the dogs, lifted mom back into her chair, took down her door to get the chair through, lifted her into bed, got her changed and ready for bed, put the door back up,, did the dishes, took out the garbage, vacuumed, then tried my hardest to get to sleep but couldn't. My back was killing me, as was my shoulder. My RLS was really acting up. AHHH, I was not fit to be around myself today let alone anyone else. You can imagine, if I am complaining so much, how much worse it was for my mom, being heaved and lugged all over in such pain. I felt so sorry for her and she couldn't have any pills because of having to fast so she was really hurting! Today has been good. Mom has been resting in bed al day, back on schedule with her meds. I think I just may pass out tonight, I hope.
Mom spent the day in bed again, she is still hurting very bad, it is going into the other leg now too. She is keeping up her appetite and fluids intake, thankfully. We had a BBQ which she could smell, she said it made her hungry and mad at the same time because she couldn't come out and enjoy it with us.She goes Friday for her Ultra sound and MRI. I hope they find something fixable in there.
There has been no change in mom, still hurting and getting meaner. I try hard to understand her pain, I do know how she feels. I was on a walker from Nov of '84 to June '87 with a severe back injury so I really do know it hurts bad, but sometimes she makes me so angry. She will just plop down when I am holding her up and boy does it pull on my back. I am afraid I will get hurt too then what will we do. I try not to be upset with her but it is kind of hard sometimes, especially when she cusses me out because she hurts herself when she plops like that. If this goes on much longer I am going to have to get a Hoyer lift to help me with her.
I have been offline for several days due to troubles with my ISP, we got it straightened out today. Mom has been doing about the same as she was. Staying in bed, resting and hurting. She did come out to the living room yesterday for several hours but was ready for bed early.
Mom is still confined to bed. She is unable to stand, walk or move her right leg. The pain meds. don't help too much. I have had to get someone to come in and help me because my back has gone out now too. Tomorrow we go for the Ultra Sound and MRI. I pray they find something to fix her.
I am so damn mad today!! Mom had her tests done today, the MRI showed a BROKEN right hip!!She has been suffering with this since around June 4th or 5th. I told the other doctor about it but SHE was sure it was neurological and didn't do any xrays! Mom now has to go to the orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday to see if it needs rebreaking and pinning or not. Her new doctor thinks it will because the pain is getting worse rather than better and she has curvature in the knee area. GOD!!!What an asshole the other doctor is, to busy to bother to take an xray! Well, I am not too busy to see an attorney!!
Mom has done pretty good today. She is hurting very much but not complaining very often. I told her that her hip was broken and she said she kind of thought it was. She knows about the appointment Tuesday and is scared and happy. She wants it fixed but doesn’t like hospitals. She also said for me to make sure to get an attorney to deal with the other doctor, I told her I already had, she just laughed and said good. I am anxious for the appointment also, he will decide whether or not surgery is required. I am not looking forward to staying at the hospital again but will if mom is there. I also stay with her to make sure she doesn’t get too scared and to see to it that she gets good care.
Mom is doing O.K. today. She is tired of having to stay in bed and of hurting so much. She doesn't feel very well this evening, which is actually good. She has diarreha which saved her from having a Fleet. She hadn't had a bm for 6 days, so, although she is sick at least she went potty on her own. Robert and Crystal have been spending a lot of time here lately, which helps me alot with mom. Tomorrow Crystal and I are giving her a sponge bath to get ready for her appointment.
Mom had a fair day today. Her bowels are normal again and her appetite has picked up some. She is still experiencing a lot of pain and discomfort. I was able to get her up onto the bedside commode this evening to give her a sponge bath, she said it felt so good, until she had to get up again that is. Crystal is going with us tomorrow so she can help me get mom in and out of the car, she has been a great help to me lately. I sure hope the doctor decides she doesn’t need surgery but I fear he won’t.
We just got back from the orthopedic surgeons, he said to wait and see if it heals itself for the next few weeks, then he will re-xray it. If it doesn't heal he will have to do a partial hip replacement. He said if he didn't have the MRI to go by he do surgery right now but the MRI appears to indicate healing although her pain level does not. Mom is hurting pretty good right now from all the moving around she did, she is napping in the chair for now.
I didn’t get this page up until this morning because I went to bed at 8:00 last night. Mom and I were so tired we both slept through the night. I had gotten up at 7:00 a.m. because the tree trimmers were here so early and mom woke up at 9:00 a.m. She has an appointment with her GP to go over the results of the Echogram and other tests she has had, they all turned out normal. She has another UTI, low potassium level, low BP, however everything else was great, including her B12 level. It appears she does not have Congestive Heart Disease either! Wow, should I be surprised? Seems almost everything that she was diagnosed with she doesn’t have. I had to take her back to the hospital after the appt. for another ultra sound, this was a Venous Duplex, to check for blood clots between her right hip and knee. They called the doctor after the test and another appt. was made for today to discuss the results. I also got a surprise phone call in the evening, her OTHER doctor, the one that failed to treat her hip in the first place called to tell me she was sorry for not finding it! She got my message from Friday, called mom’s current doctor, then called me. Wonder if she is worried?
Well, mom does not have a blood clot, thank God. The doctor feels it is muscle/tendon hurting because of her hip. He says that all in all she is very healthy. I will be glad when her hip gets better, if it does without surgery, it is getting pretty hard on me having to transfer her all the time alone. My back and shoulders feel like I got kicked by a very stubborn mule. I am getting my room addition done though, the floor goes down in two days, the rest of the walls will go up tomorrow. Mom got her B12 shot today.
Mom is about the same, still hurting, however I don't think it is as bad as it has been. She is moving alot more during the night than she had been, this is a good indication. She wants to try to come out to the living room tomorrow, it may do her some good. The room is comong right along, it will be so nice when it is done, a real laundry room!
Mom did a little better today, she stayed in bed but she did sit up on the side for dinner and styaed there for over an hour. Her hip still hurts pretty bad but I do think it is getting better. Mom is getting tired of staying down for so long but knows she must for awhile longer. I am going to attempt to get her in the shower today, I have been giving her bedside baths but she really needs a shower, she piddled all over the other night, up her back etc.. They got the walls up in the new room, it is starting to come together. Monday the ceiling and floor go down and the piping. I can't wait for it to bre finsihed so I can paint it and decorate, it will be fun. Then onto the living room walls, I still have to finish stripping the wallpaper only this time I will be much more careful with my fingers.LOL
Mom is still the same today, hurting like heck and being frustrated. She wouldn’t let me give her a bath so I gave her a bed bath again. Don’t think it did much good though. She goes back to her GP on the 1st for another check up. This is going to be a long month before she goes back to the orthopedist. I took today off from remodeling, cleaning or anything else that required physical labor. I sat around listened to music and read all day. It was really relaxing and fun.
HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY ROBERT AND CRYSTAL
Mom is the same, no real change physically. Her mind seems to be a bit sharper than usual though. She sleeps a lot during the day and is awake at night again. I am hoping I can get that reversed again once her hip stuff is dealt with. I still don’t have water and I REALLY need a bath, hopefully tomorrow it will be on.
Mom got up today and came into the living room. She said she was tired of laying in bed all day. She had been pretty confused earlier today but now is fine. She knows what is going on around her and where she is. My brother called her today and she held a real conversation with him. She is in her recliner watching Jeopardy and checking out the work being done on the room. We have water back, thank God. I am taking a long, hot bath after I put mom to bed.
Still not much change in mom. She didn’t get up at all today. I was really hoping she would come out to the living room again for awhile, maybe tomorrow she will. She isn’t complaining about the pain as much now, but it still hurts her when she moves and she can’t stand on her right leg yet. I have a feeling she may need to have the surgery, I really hope not. Last time she did real good with the surgery and recovery but she was a few years younger though.
Well, mom got up for a while today. I was glad to see her up and about for a change. She still hurts but I don't think it is as bad as it was. Hopefully the doctor will say she is fine now. She went to bed early and I get to follow suit, thank goodness.
Mom slept in today, expected after last night. She did get up again and watched t.v. with us for several hours. Her stomach is still hurting her as is her hip. She has no ability to bear weight on it at all. She goes to her GP Tuesday and I am going to try to get her into the orthopedist also, since she will be out and about anyway. My brother is looking forward to meeting her new doctor.
BOY was it hot here today, 96. Mom stayed in bed until 8:00, then she made a mess in her britches and had to have a shower. Afterwards I brought her to the living room, she is watching t.v., baseball, with my brother. Her leg keeps going numb and hurting alot. I wonder what tomorrow will rbing with the doctor.
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